This past National Day holiday saw upwards of half a billion Chinese citizens travelling. While some flew off to international destinations, the     1     majority enjoyed the many tourist sites that China has to offer. If you were one of those people who decided to explore China’s scenic spots, you probably realized that it isn’t just the mountain steps that are steep-the entrance fees are, too!

The average cost of the highest     2    5A attractions is 109 yuan. This could prove to be a little too steep for some families, who find themselves spending too large a portion of their holiday budget on admission tickets. The 32 5A locations that upped their prices in the past five years experienced an average     3     of over 40 percent. The bad news is that these prices are expected to continue to rise. So how does China’s situation compare to other parts of the world? The average fees for cultural and historical sites seem to be on par with(与…同价) international     4    . It’s quite another story, however, when you compare natural wonders. For example, the cost of a ticket to Zhangjiajie National Forest Park(张家界国家森林公园) hovers around 245 yuan for a three-day tour. This seems    5     high when you consider that a week long pass to America’s Yellowstone National Park (黄石国家公园)is a mere 74 yuan. There are     6     benefits to increased revenue(收益) from ticket sales, which support necessary     7     , maintenance and operation costs. This is especially important for sites that must keep visitor numbers down in order to protect the natural environment. However, it must also be     8     that many of China’s tourist attractions are operated by private companies who are ultimately protecting their bottomline(盈亏底线).

While the government has put some     9     in place, such as only allowing entrance fees to be raised once every three years, they have not     10     the upper limit of ticket prices and increases. Further measures to settle the dispute are being considered. In the meantime, some families are forced to re-think if some attractions are really worth the costs.

If you only had an afternoon to experience London on a grand     1    , the Houses of Parliament, also called Palace of Westminster would be a wise place to start. The     2     of the bicameral (两院制的) Parliament including the House of Commons and the House of Lords, is located on the left bank of the River Thames in the borough of Westminster, London.

A royal palace was said to have existed at the site under the Danish king of England Canute. The building, however, spoken of by William Fitzstephen as a(n) “    3     structure,” was built for Edward the Confessor in the 11th century and     4     by William I (the Conqueror). In 1512 the palace suffered greatly from fire and thereafter ceased to be used as a royal residence. A fire in 1834 destroyed the whole palace except the historic Westminster Hall, the Jewel Tower, the cloisters, and the crypt of St. Stephen’s Chapel.

Sir Charles Barry, assisted by A.W.N. Pugin, designed the present buildings in the Gothic Revival style. Construction was begun in 1837, the cornerstone was     5     in 1840, and work was finished in 1860. The Commons Chamber was burned out in one of the numerous air raids that targeted London during World War II, but it was     6     and reopened in 1950. The House of Lords is an ornate chamber 97 feet in length; the Commons is 70 feet long. The southwestern Victoria Tower is 336 feet high. The Elizabeth Tower,     7     St. Stephen’s Tower, about 320 feet in height, contains the famous tower clock Big Ben. Along with Westminster Abbey and St, Margaret’s Church, the Houses of Parliament were named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1987, as symbols of spiritual and democratic     8    .

The Palace is one of the centers of political life in the United Kingdom; “Westminster” has become a metaphor for the UK Parliament and the British Government. The Elizabeth Tower, in particular, often     9     to by the name of its main bell, Big Ben, has become an iconic landmark of London and of the United Kingdom in general, one of the most     10     tourist attractions in the city, and a symbol of parliamentary democracy.

Few countries have such a diverse and appealing“ Outdoors” as the USA. The landscape is     1     varied and spectacular. In the west there are Rocky Mountains with their     2     peaks, and in the east the forest-covered Appalachians, whose highest

summit is nearly 7000 feet. There is also an abundance of waterfalls, rivers, lakes that are small and intimate or     3     like the Great Lakes. In winter and spring, tourists are     4     by the clear skies and breathtaking multi-colored rocks of Arizona,Colorado and New Mexico.

Everything worth seeing in the USA is     5     to picnickers and vacationers by highways and unpaved secondary roads, which     6     people to places from where where they can push off onto the wilderness. Once in the wilderness,the chief worry will be, not how to avoid other hikers, but how not to get lost!

Many Americans, young and old, prefer camping in vehicles called"campers”. There exist many different kinds from the extremely extravagant to the cheap convertible pick-up truck. There are monster campers with every imaginable     7    , from deep freezers and microwave ovens, to plush carpets and color television sets.They can     8     four people comfortably.

Horseback riding also holds a     9     for many but it's a more expensive sport.There are ranches in Texas and other border states where you can stay and live the life of a cowboy or cowgirl. Other great outdoor pastimes for     10     can be skiing in the Rockies and hunting in Alaska, surfing, waterskiing in Florida.